Business Infrastructure - Curing Back Office Blues

For the past four years, this show has consistently aired every week, not missing a beat. This consistency is only a part of our success formula. Other factors include amazing guests, subscribers and listeners like you, and an all-star team! * The Business Infrastructure podcast started as a scrappy idea of host and producer, Alicia Butler Pierre. What she originally thought would simply be another means of sharing operational resources with small businesses has now evolved into a global movement with listeners in over 60 countries. * But this did not happen by osmosis. As the podcast grew in popularity, so did Equilibria, the company behind the podcast, and its need to scale up back-office operations. * In this episode, you get to hear directly from some of the people behind the scenes who each possess a superpower that they contribute to the mosaic that is the Business Infrastructure podcast. Joining us in the celebration is Jared Easley, the co-founder of Podcast Movement – home to the world's largest community of podcasters. If you've wondered what it takes to produce and promote this show, then here's your chance to find out! Listen and be inspired! 📝 Resources & Show Notes: https://www.eqbsystems.com/podcast/200th-episode-meet-the-business-infrastructure-podcast-team-with-special-guest-jared-easley ❓ Got questions? Send them to Alicia on Twitter or LinkedIn. 🎧 Like What You Heard? Don't Keep it to Yourself. Subscribe and Share! And don't forget to leave a review! ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Mohammad Ali Ajlouni may not float like a butterfly or sting like a bee, like the famous boxer by the same name, but he is a champion – a champion of operations. And it might very well be the reason why his original episode made it to our list of the top 12 most downloaded. * With over 37 years of combined experience as a high-ranking military official, chemical and industrial engineer, COO, and board member, he recognizes problem-solving as the cornerstone for continuous improvement. In fact, he worked on a team that started the first auto manufacturing company in Jordan. * In this episode, Mohammad takes us on an A-to-Z tour of all things operations and explains why he believes, "If CEOs do not understand operations, they are bound to be replaced." 📝 Resources & Show Notes: https://www.eqbsystems.com/podcast/199-mohammad-ali-ajlouni-shares-everything-you-need-to-know-about-coos ❓ Got questions? Send them to Alicia on Twitter or LinkedIn. 🎧 Like What You Heard? Don't Keep it to Yourself. Subscribe and Share! And don't forget to leave a review! ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

This was the second episode to ever air on the Business Infrastructure podcast in 2018! It's one of our Top 12 most downloaded episodes to date… * Being insane isn't necessarily a bad thing, especially when it comes to managing fast growth in your small business. Find out why in this episode as Alicia Butler Pierre makes the case for insanity in your business operations and why business infrastructure is vital to not just talking about taking your business to the next level, but actually doing it! * Learn two real-life examples of how the original founders of now popular business software products not only recognized the importance of business infrastructure in scaling their businesses but made strategic moves to ensure it happened. Both are to be admired for this recognition and decisive action. * But one founder enjoyed success unparalleled and the other, well, you can be the judge of that. 📝 Resources & Show Notes: https://www.eqbsystems.com/podcast/198-the-top-12-why-every-small-business-needs-business-infrastructure-with-alicia-butler-pierre ❓ Got questions? Send them to Alicia on Twitter or LinkedIn. 🎧 Like What You Heard? Don't Keep it to Yourself. Subscribe and Share! And don't forget to leave a review! ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

It's no surprise that Dr. Frank Barsi's interview made our list of the Top 12 most downloaded episodes. The covid-19 pandemic and the associated supply chain disruptions offered a wellspring of interest in Lean and Six Sigma quality frameworks. Discussions around operations, once confined to the back office, have now earned their rightful place in the forefront of critical decisions made by technicians, front-line managers, and executives alike. * Back in the early 1970s, Dr. Barsi escaped communist Hungary under the cover of night. He swam his way to Austria and eventually arrived in America with literally just the clothes on his back. Determined to start a new life, he quickly joined the U.S. Army. He would later go on to earn multiple engineering degrees. It was at his first job out of college that he was introduced to Six Sigma. At that time, the quality framework was well received in Asia, but not in America. * In this episode, Dr. Barsi reflects on his 40-year career in the aerospace industry. It's a fascinating account of his journey in applying Six Sigma to improve a variety of production processes. That work spans developing flight controls for fighter jets and revolutionizing the casting industry. * Not sure what Six Sigma is or how you can apply it to your small business? Get ready to take notes as Dr. Barsi explains the framework, its key principles, and how you can apply some of its tools to dramatically increase profitability and achieve operational excellence. 📝 Resources & Show Notes: https://www.eqbsystems.com/podcast/197-what-is-six-sigma-and-how-does-it-lead-to-operational-excellence-dr-frank-barsi-explains ❓ Got questions? Send them to Alicia on Twitter or LinkedIn. 🎧 Like What You Heard? Don't Keep it to Yourself. Subscribe and Share! And don't forget to leave a review! ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

It's a brand new season on the Business Infrastructure podcast – Season 16! In nearly four years, there's so much to celebrate especially as we approach our 200th episode. That's why this season we're reflecting on our success factors starting with you, our loyal listeners and subscribers, as well as our top-notch guests. In that spirit, we've compiled a list of the top 12 most downloaded episodes to date and will re-air them this season (in no particular order). * First up is the episode featuring Maria Jones. This episode originally aired in April 2020 and because of its organic viewing success on YouTube, we knew we had to include it in this Top 12 lineup. * Maria is the Founder & CEO of Nerdy Industry, LLC which provides operations advisory services to budding entrepreneurs. She describes Chief Operating Officers (COOs) as the "innovators of execution." Their role as second-in-command to CEOs is vital to business continuity and delivering on sales promises. Yet, many leaders don't understand what they do and overlook operations as the core of any business. * In this episode, Maria defines what a COO is, debunks common myths about them, as well as operations, and uses analogies and examples to assert their undeniable value. She also shares key metrics every business should measure to assess performance. 📝 Resources & Show Notes: https://www.eqbsystems.com/podcast/196-the-top-12-what-is-a-coo-maria-jones-explains ❓ Got questions? Send them to Alicia on Twitter or LinkedIn. 🎧 Like What You Heard? Don't Keep it to Yourself. Subscribe and Share! And don't forget to leave a review! ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Producing the world's first-ever audio masterclass on business infrastructure was no small feat! In this bonus episode, we pull back the curtain and go backstage so you can hear a firsthand account of what it took to produce each masterclass episode. * Jarvis Gray is our special guest host. Tune in as he guides a conversation with Alicia Butler Pierre, Cornelius Dowdell, and Clarence Levy on what it took to go from an idea jotted on paper into a full-scale audio masterclass complete with narration, voiceovers, and original music. __________ Credits: - Alicia Butler Pierre, writer, producer, narrator - Kamaria Goggins, voice actor - Frank Jones, voice actor - Sylvie Soudin, voice actor - Dominique van Dijk, voice actor - Clarence Levy III, original music score - Olanrewaju Adeyemo, audio editor Special thanks to you for supporting this season of the Business Infrastructure podcast. We took a risk by trying something different and it paid off! 🔗 Website: https://www.eqbsystems.com/podcast/195-backstage-how-we-made-the-business-infrastructure-audio-masterclass ❓ Send your questions to Alicia on Twitter or LinkedIn. 🎧 Like What You Heard? Don't Keep it to Yourself. Subscribe and Share! And don't forget to leave a review! ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

We've come to the final episode in our 13-part audio masterclass on business infrastructure! At this point, you've heard six stories of entrepreneurs and leaders in small businesses trying their best to keep their cool amid chaotic fast growth. If you've missed any of those episodes, be sure to go back and listen to them so that you can follow along with the info contained in this episode. * Behind the impressive façade of the businesses featured in this masterclass, lies operational landmines that threaten to destroy everything these founders and leaders have worked so hard to build. * Thanks in part to the consultants they each work with, they're able to restore order. You were able to get a detailed understanding of the work they do together in six follow-up episodes that serve as D-I-Y tutorials in this masterclass. Each consultant recommended participation in a business process workshop. And that's what this episode is about – you're going to get an audio-based front row seat to this workshop and learn how to create a Business Process Manual! * A Business Process Manual, commonly known as an Operations Manual, is a physical or digital collection of documentation that describes your organization's operations with a level of detail and precision that allows your team to work without your daily presence. It's also the seventh and final element of the Kasennu framework for business infrastructure. * In this final episode, (host and inventor of the Kasennu framework) Alicia Butler Pierre teaches an 8-step guide on basic principles for identifying and documenting key processes in your organization. Discover how to secure your intellectual property, guarantee consistent product and service quality, and keep your customers happy. You'll also learn how the Kasennu framework sets you up for success in using advanced process improvement frameworks like Lean Six Sigma. 🔗 Links to Resources: https://www.eqbsystems.com/podcast/194-how-to-create-a-business-process-manual ❓ Send your questions to Alicia on Twitter or LinkedIn. 🎧 Like What You Heard? Don't Keep it to Yourself. Subscribe and Share! And don't forget to leave a review! ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

In the last story of our Business Infrastructure audio masterclass, you met Clenard Smith. He's determined to take his flourishing food distribution company public. But there's one problem. He needs more physical space! Or at least that's what he's convinced himself. His consultant manages to convince him otherwise while also getting him to contend with the root cause of his company's space constraints. * A Work Space Logistics plan organizes, consolidates, and segments your space into work zones according to your organization's departments. It considers the proper placement of all team members, furniture, and equipment to ensure seamless work and information flow. It's also one of the seven elements of the Kasennu framework for business infrastructure. * From tidying up to sprucing up, in this episode host, Alicia Butler Pierre guides you through an 8-step process to create a Work Space Logistics plan for your organization. Discover how to declutter your space, take an asset inventory, and sketch the optimal layout of your workspace. The result is an intelligent workspace design that maximizes floor space and stimulates productivity and communication. 🔗 Links to Resources: https://www.eqbsystems.com/podcast/193-how-to-create-a-work-space-logistics-plan-for-flourishing-small-businesses ❓ Send your questions to Alicia on Twitter or LinkedIn. 🎧 Like What You Heard? Don't Keep it to Yourself. Subscribe and Share! And don't forget to leave a review! ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

We're well underway with Season 15 - Business Infrastructure Masterclass. Here's a quick update from the host, Alicia Butler Pierre, on what to expect for the final masterclass episodes. Great things are brewing!

Prior to the pandemic, people were already spending a lot of time in their offices likely sitting behind a computer. Now, that time has doubled if not tripled for many as companies begin to adopt work-from-home policies. In fact, there are scientific studies that show a direct correlation between the actual layout of a workspace and productivity, job satisfaction, and profitability. * A Work Space Logistics plan considers the best placement and arrangement of your team, furniture, and equipment to ensure seamless work and information flow. It's also one of the seven elements of the Kasennu framework for business infrastructure. * This episode features the story of Clenard Smith, a no-nonsense veteran who wants to take his food distribution company public. His military background serves him well when it comes to strategy and execution but proves to be no match in his latest battle for more workspace. A consultant devises a Work Space Logistics plan to dramatically increase productivity and help him defeat this formidable enemy once and for all. * 🔗 Behind the Façade Book: https://www.eqbsystems.com/podcast/192-organized-chaos-the-story-of-clenard-smith-the-flourishing-food-distribution-company ❓ Send your questions to Alicia on Twitter or LinkedIn. 🎧 Like What You Heard? Don't Keep it to Yourself. Subscribe and Share! And don't forget to leave a review! ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Vandana Thiagarajan was the subject of the last story you heard in our Business Infrastructure audio masterclass. She's desperately trying to make sure she and her co-founders can once again fulfill their promises to their customers. Their consultant introduces them to the Service Delivery Blueprint as a solution for quickly pinpointing the source of missing target deadlines. * A Service Delivery Blueprint is a visual control tool that documents the people, process, tools, and metrics necessary to provide your core product or service. It offers a holistic view that shows how everyone in your company gets involved or at least provides some level of support in providing goods and services to your customers. It's one of the seven elements of the Kasennu framework for business infrastructure. * In this episode, host Alicia Butler Pierre guides you through an 8-step process to create a Service Delivery Blueprint for your organization. Discover how to succinctly document, track, and manage lifecycle processes like order-to-delivery, farm-to-table, procure-to-pay, intake-to-discharge, and more! The result is a one-page overview of what you do, how you do it, and the associated timeframe. 🔗 Links to Resources: https://www.eqbsystems.com/podcast/191-how-to-create-a-service-delivery-blueprint-for-small-businesses-on-the-rise ❓ Send your questions to Alicia on Twitter or LinkedIn. 🎧 Like What You Heard? Don't Keep it to Yourself. Subscribe and Share! And don't forget to leave a review! ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

As small businesses grow, so does the need for consistency. Your ability to provide value and meet promised deadlines is only as good as the people, tools, and processes you have in place to deliver your goods and/or services. * A Service Delivery Blueprint describes how you provide goods and services to your customers. Once defined, it enables consistency in your customer order-to-delivery process without compromising quality. It also affects how customers and vendors experience your business. It's one of the seven elements of the Kasennu framework for business infrastructure. * This episode features the story of Vandana Thiagarajan, one of three co-founders of a promising real estate upstart in New York. They also work as the mortgage talent on a reality TV show. Lately, she's been shouldering most of the responsibility at the expense of missing client deadlines. * Torn between growing the business or pursuing the TV show, she describes her decision as choosing between taking the red pill or the blue pill. A consultant shows her how to create a Service Delivery Blueprint to pinpoint the source of quality issues so that they can keep their promises of a fast loan processing time. * 🔗 Behind the Façade Book: https://www.eqbsystems.com/podcast/190-red-pill-or-blue-pill-the-story-of-vandana-thiagarajan-a-mortgage-companys-meteoric-rise ❓ Send your questions to Alicia on Twitter or LinkedIn. 🎧 Like What You Heard? Don't Keep it to Yourself. Subscribe and Share! And don't forget to leave a review! ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

In the last episode of our Business Infrastructure audio masterclass, you heard the story of twin co-founders, Karen and Sharen Benoit. They've been given a second chance to pass an audit of their mental health clinic's records. Their consultant friend comes to the rescue by teaching them how to design a compliant Paper Records Management system that consolidates, organizes, stores, and protects their physical files. * You might be wondering, "Why are we talking about organizing paperwork in the digital age?" Some industries are heavily regulated and require the maintenance of physical files for certain periods. Paper Records Management is the fourth element in building business infrastructure. Think of it as the paper-based version of your Digital Records Management system. * Now you can experience the satisfaction of decluttering and organizing your company's paper records! In this episode, host Alicia Butler Pierre offers a 10-step tutorial. The result is an audit-ready paper management system that standardizes best practices for recordkeeping. 🔗 Links to Resources: https://www.eqbsystems.com/podcast/189-how-to-create-a-paper-records-management-system-for-expanding-small-businesses ❓ Send your questions to Alicia on Twitter or LinkedIn. 🎧 Like What You Heard? Don't Keep it to Yourself. Subscribe and Share! And don't forget to leave a review! ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

As appealing as paperless offices are, there are still some industries that require meticulous physical recordkeeping. These types of records must comply with regulatory guidelines to legally operate. This is where a Paper Records Management system can be useful. * A Paper Records Management system links the processes, tools, and people needed to create, name, categorize, store, and purge physical data in an easily accessible, color-coded, and organized manner. It also represents one of the seven elements of the Kasennu framework for business infrastructure. * This episode features twin sisters, Karen and Sharen Benoit. Their mental rehabilitation facility takes off following a natural disaster. But patients aren't the only people drawn to them. Regulators are too. They can't risk another failed audit. Help comes from a familiar, yet unexpected source who teaches them how to create a Paper Records Management system that's compliant, audit-ready, and keeps the doors to their business open. * 🔗 Behind the Façade Book: https://www.eqbsystems.com/podcast/188-troubled-waters-the-story-of-the-benoit-sisters-the-expanding-medical-office ❓ Send your questions to Alicia on Twitter or LinkedIn. 🎧 Like What You Heard? Don't Keep it to Yourself. Subscribe and Share! And don't forget to leave a review! ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

We're continuing our first time ever masterclass edition of the Business Infrastructure podcast. In the last episode, you heard the story of Sarah and Steve Reuben - siblings whose rivalry and siloed leadership enabled a virus attack on their family-owned business's network. A consultant taught them how to design an Electronic Records Management system to organize, store, and secure their digital files while also protecting their operations from future digital disasters. * Electronic Records Management is the third element in building business infrastructure. It involves organizing all your digital files based on the departments you identified in the Business Parts Analysis. It also includes assigning proper access rights according to the roles identified in your Business Design Blueprint. It's the perfect complement to disaster recovery and business continuity planning. * Now you can discover how to create one for your organization! In this episode, host Alicia Butler Pierre offers a 9-step tutorial on creating an Electronic Records Management system. You'll not only end up with an organized, disaster-proof system, but you'll also have peace of mind knowing that your digital assets are accounted for and protected. With remote back-office operations and small business cybersecurity attacks on the rise, you don't want to miss this lesson! 🔗 Links to Resources: https://www.eqbsystems.com/podcast/187-how-to-create-an-electronic-digital-records-management-system-for-small-businesses-in-high-demand ❓ Send your questions to Alicia on Twitter or LinkedIn. 🎧 Like What You Heard? Don't Keep it to Yourself. Subscribe and Share! And don't forget to leave a review! ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

A paperless office comes with many perks. It frees up physical space, removes geographic work restrictions, and makes information accessible from anywhere. But there's a catch. * Without careful organization, adequate security, and an ironclad data backup and recovery plan, there's always the risk of losing electronic records due to manmade or natural disasters. * An Electronic Records Management system specifically links the processes, digital technologies, and people needed to consolidate, organize, backup, and archive digital information in an easy-to-follow, structured manner. It also represents one of the seven elements of the Kasennu framework for business infrastructure. * This episode features the story of feuding siblings, Sarah and Steve Reuben. Equally smart and ambitious leaders, they're blind-sided when a malicious virus attacks their furniture store's network. If their customers and vendors find out, it could ruin their family's business and their brand's good name. A consultant implements an Electronic Records Management system as a preemptive strike against future disasters and to ensure business continuity. * 🔗 Behind the Façade Book: https://www.eqbsystems.com/podcast/186-the-princess-vs-the-politician-the-story-of-the-reubens-the-furniture-store-in-high-demand ❓ Send your questions to Alicia on Twitter or LinkedIn. 🎧 Like What You Heard? Don't Keep it to Yourself. Subscribe and Share! And don't forget to leave a review! ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Welcome back to this masterclass edition of the Business Infrastructure podcast! In the last episode, you heard the story of Albert Andoh, the optimistic child entrepreneur of an emerging tech startup. He met a consultant who introduced him to the Business Design Blueprint as a way of proving organizational capability, capacity, and scalability to investors. Now you can learn how they did it. * The Business Design Blueprint is the second element in building business infrastructure. It takes the departments and roles identified in the Business Parts Analysis and spatially arranges them according to your chain of command. It's also like a vision board for your business that allows you to measure and track your success in achieving team expansion goals. * In this episode, host Alicia Butler Pierre gives a guided tour on the Business Design Blueprint – what it is, how to make one for your company, and why it differs from a traditional organizational chart. If you apply the lessons, then you'll walk away with a visual illustration of your company's growth goals as well as a clear promotional path for each role. If there's any business infrastructure tool that shows how you plan to grow your company, it's this one! Listen now! 🔗 Links to Resources: https://www.eqbsystems.com/podcast/185-how-to-create-a-business-design-blueprint-for-emerging-small-businesses ❓ Send your questions to Alicia on Twitter or LinkedIn. 🎧 Like What You Heard? Don't Keep it to Yourself. Subscribe and Share! And don't forget to leave a review! ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

What comes to mind when you think of an organizational chart? Do you have one for your small business? After listening to this episode, you'll understand just how powerful this tool is. * An organizational chart visually communicates more than just your company's chain of command, but also its maturity and growth opportunities. For these reasons, at Equilibria, we refer to it as a Business Design Blueprint. It represents one of the seven elements of the Kasennu framework for business infrastructure. * This episode features the story of Albert Andoh, the bright-eyed and ambitious founder of an emerging tech startup. His software company's popularity is beginning to expand beyond its local market. Most people have no idea he's a teenager, that is until he speaks publicly at a conference. The extra attention means more business but can also expose his vulnerabilities as a leader. A consultant introduces him to the Business Design Blueprint as a way of proving capacity, capability, and scalability to investors. * 🔗 Behind the Façade Book: https://www.eqbsystems.com/podcast/184-childs-play-the-story-of-albert-andoh-the-emerging-tech-startup ❓ Send your questions to Alicia on Twitter or LinkedIn. 🎧 Like What You Heard? Don't Keep it to Yourself. Subscribe and Share! And don't forget to leave a review! ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Welcome to the masterclass edition of the Business Infrastructure podcast! In the first episode, you heard the story of Emily Miller, the founder of a fast-growing non-profit. She met a consultant who introduced her to a Business Parts Analysis as a means of sustaining the growth. * As Emily discovered, fast growth is exciting but requires adding more people to your team to make sure important tasks don't get overlooked. Sometimes you may have to re-allocate roles and responsibilities and, through introspection, objectively evaluate your own role as a leader. * The Business Parts Analysis is the first element in building business infrastructure. It sets the foundation upon which all other back-office activities are organized and managed. * In this episode, you'll learn more about what a Business Parts Analysis is and how to create one in your growing organization through a series of exercises. The results include task, role, and department identification along with a prioritized hiring strategy and succinct job descriptions to attract the right talent. No, this isn't just for non-profit organizations. It's for entrepreneurs and owners of any small business serious about scaling back-office operations to the next level. 🔗 Links to Resources: https://www.eqbsystems.com/podcast/183-how-to-create-a-business-parts-analysis-for-a-fast-growing-small-business ❓ Send your questions to Alicia on Twitter or LinkedIn. 🎧 Like What You Heard? Don't Keep it to Yourself. Subscribe and Share! And don't forget to leave a review! ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

It's Season 15 on the Business Infrastructure podcast and we're trying something different. Many of you asked for it and it's here – a business infrastructure masterclass! * Over the next 13 episodes, you'll hear the alternating stories of entrepreneurs faced with the challenges of unfilled customer demand and the specific tactics used to calm the chaos. Discover how they each rise to the challenge through lessons taught by Alicia Butler Pierre – lessons that you can immediately apply to your small business. * First up is the story of Emily Miller, the founder and Executive Director of a fast-growing non-profit. An appearance on a daytime talk show puts her non-profit on the map but also exposes her leadership weakness. When she learns the board is threatening to replace her, she springs into action by hiring a consultant who introduces her to the Business Parts Analysis – the first element of building business infrastructure. This helps secure her future and reputation. * 🔗 Links to Resources: https://www.eqbsystems.com/podcast/182-identity-crisis-the-story-of-emily-miller-the-fast-growing-non-profit ❓ Send your questions to Alicia on Twitter or LinkedIn. 🎧 Like What You Heard? Don't Keep it to Yourself. Subscribe and Share! And don't forget to leave a review! ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Trello. Asana. Monday.com. ClickUp. These are all amazing tools. And we've tried them all here at the Business Infrastructure podcast, but in the end, we landed on Notion as the tool to organize our back-office operations. * Notion is an all-in-one digital workspace that brings together once disparate and hidden documentation into a single platform. Information once buried in nested folders on a network, the cloud, or hard drives is now visible and easy to search. The level of transparency it affords teams is perhaps one of its greatest features. It even integrates with dozens of other tools like Slack, Figma, Google Sheets, and YouTube. * In this episode, host Alicia Butler Pierre gives a guided audio (and visual) tour of how we use Notion to manage all aspects of our production scheduling. This is the final episode of Season 14 – Game-Changing Technologies. Discover how you can create a CRM complete with pictures and audio files as well as project management boards and editorial and content calendars, all in Notion. * 🔗 Links to Resources Alicia recommends: https://www.eqbsystems.com/podcast/181-alicia-butler-pierre-reveals-how-the-business-infrastructure-podcast-uses-notion-for-production-scheduling 🎧 Like What You Heard? Don't Keep it to Yourself. Subscribe and Share! 💌 Please Support Our Sponsors, ThinkSmart Whiteboard, Equilibria, and CavnessHR And don't forget to leave a review! ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Tal Zlotnitsky is the Co-Founder and CEO of Our.Love, an exciting and unique startup that combines love and relationship wellness with technology. What's love got to do with business? Everything! Your personal relationship can affect your work performance, especially if you operate a business with your significant other. * Our.Love might be a startup, but Tal is no stranger to entrepreneurship. His incredible journey from being a famous child star in Israel to emigrating to America where no one knew him, laid the foundation for his future career as a baseball player and ultimately, a serial entrepreneur. But when the covid pandemic happened, he walked away from his last highly successful venture. * In this episode, Tal gives a candid account of how his previously failed relationships led him to start Our.Love. He also shares how he and his team used Figma, a no-code user interface software design tool, to design and deploy the Our.Love app. You'll get a 2-for-1 in this episode - discover how to not only improve your relationship but also how to take your software or app concept from idea to pitch-ready. Ideas no longer have to be a figment of your imagination. * 🔗 Links to Resources Tal recommends: https://www.eqbsystems.com/podcast/180-tal-zlotnitsky-explains-how-he-used-figma-to-design-the-relationship-app-our-love 🎧 Like What You Heard? Don't Keep it to Yourself. Subscribe and Share! 💌 Please Support Our Sponsors, ThinkSmart Whiteboard, Equilibria, and CavnessHR And don't forget to leave a review! ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Kate Erickson's back! When she first appeared on the show, she shared some of the key processes and philosophies behind Entrepreneur on Fire's (EOFire) operational excellence. This time, she's giving us an audio tour of the game-changing technology she credits with powering the back-office operations of EOFire's 7-figure business – Asana. * As the "heartbeat" and Chief Implementer at EOFire, Kate's passion and enthusiasm for ensuring information and work flows as seamlessly and efficiently as possible is evident. Although you may only know Asana as a task and project management tool, you might be surprised to learn how she also uses it as a team communications hub. * In this episode, Kate describes their overall process from getting information into Asana and assigning due dates to divvying up work amongst their remote team and keeping the lines of communication open. Listen as she explains why Asana's simplicity and ease of use made it ripe for quick adoption in building their business infrastructure. As a bonus, you'll also learn some of Kate's favorite productivity resources that you can apply to your growing business! * 🔗 Links to Resources Kate recommends: https://businessinfrastructure.tv/2021/12/12/179-kate-erickson-describes-how-eofire-uses-asana-to-power-their-7-figure-business 🎧 Like What You Heard? Don't Keep it to Yourself. Subscribe and Share! 💌 Please Support Our Sponsors, ThinkSmart Whiteboard, Equilibria, and CavnessHR And don't forget to leave a review! ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Kimanzi Constable sums up his entrepreneurial journey as "I used to deliver bread for a living, now I write." Of course, there's more to his story than this. A lot more. Through his relentless pursuit for building a profitable six-figure online business, he's now the author of four books, has appeared on over 250 podcasts, and has written articles for over 80 publications including Forbes and Business Insider. * Yes, at one time he did deliver bread. In fact, he started a vacation relief service for commercial drivers when he was 19 years old and primarily took on routes for Sara Lee Bakery. Although it was financially successful, Kimanzi admits that operational oversights and mismanagement led to him to eventually shut it down. * Shortly afterward, through introspection, he decided he wanted a better lifestyle for himself. One where he could spend more quality time with his family without the fear of burnout constantly looming. That search led him to study those who successfully built online businesses free from geographical boundaries. Soon, he co-founded Results Global Impact Consulting (RGIC). Together, he and his wife and co-founder, Cindy, teach others how to capitalize on their expertise and showcase it through content marketing strategy and implementation. * In this episode, Kimanzi reveals how they use ActiveCampaign, an email marketing software, to share lessons on how to leverage large media publications to increase visibility, build brand authority, and grow revenue. He also explains why, despite all the emerging digital marketing technologies, email marketing is still one of the most effective ways to communicate with your customers and network. Discover how to take your personal or business brand from obscure to visible or from unknown to mainstream and watch your profitability soar! * 🔗 Links to Resources Kimanzi recommends: https://businessinfrastructure.tv/2021/12/05/178-kimanzi-constable-shares-tips-for-using-active-campaign-to-manage-content-marketing-boost-visibility-and-establish-credibility 🎧 Like What You Heard? Don't Keep it to Yourself. Subscribe and Share! 💌 Please Support Our Sponsors, ThinkSmart Whiteboard, Equilibria, and CavnessHR And don't forget to leave a review! ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Every U.S. Dollar in Research & Development (R&D) tax credit yields $20 in new economic activity. With that kind of return, why don't more small businesses take advantage of these tax credits? Answering that question is what led Lloyed Lobo on his fintech journey. * With a background in software engineering, Lloyed was already familiar with technology companies and enjoyed a successful career leading sales and marketing teams as well as being a serial entrepreneur. One venture was Boast Capital – a consulting firm focused on securing R&D tax credits for businesses. That's when the answer to the unclaimed tax credit question became clear – the reason more than $200 billion USD goes unclaimed globally each year to fund innovation is because of the slow, archaic application-to-funding process. This led to the development of Boast.AI, a software designed to automate the tax credit application process so companies can get more money faster and with reduced audit risk. * In this episode, Lloyed not only shares how you can use Boast.AI to fund your small business' innovation, but he also gives insights on how he and his team built this successful tech startup. Discover the business infrastructure they designed to support rapid growth not only in their customer base but also in their employee base - an increase from 30 to 100 in just five months! As a bonus, you'll also learn Lloyed's four stages for building a startup as well as the ingredients for his scale recipe: customer-centricity, community, and relentless prioritization. * If you want to know how you can claim R&D tax credits to fund your company's growth and how to scale that growth sustainably, then you don't want to miss this episode! * 🔗 Links to Resources Lloyed recommends: https://businessinfrastructure.tv/2021/11/28/177-lloyd-lobo-reveals-how-to-quickly-secure-rd-tax-credits-for-funding-business-innovation-with-boast-ai 🎧 Like What You Heard? Don't Keep it to Yourself. Subscribe and Share! 💌 Please Support Our Sponsors, ThinkSmart Whiteboard, Equilibria, and CavnessHR And don't forget to leave a review! ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

When Jason Cavness joined the US Army at 19, he took a test to determine his optimal career starting in the military. He had a choice between working as a parachute repairman or working in Human Resources (H.R.) He chose the latter - the allure being the opportunity to live in Germany. * 25 years later, he retired and through a chance encounter met someone who suggested he fill a gap in the marketplace for H.R. services in fast-growing small businesses. Not knowing what a startup was, he took a leap of faith and started CavnessHR. * CavnessHR is an H.R. software as a service platform. In this episode, Jason makes the case for why H.R. processes, policies, and protocol is so important in small businesses and how CavnessHR automates these areas. If you operate a small business with 49 or fewer employees, find out how you can take advantage of a free trial of CavnessHR – available only through this podcast. * 🔗 Links to Resources Jason recommends: https://businessinfrastructure.tv/2021/11/21/176-jason-cavness-describes-how-to-automate-h-r-processes-for-small-businesses-with-cavnesshr 🎧 Like What You Heard? Don't Keep it to Yourself. Subscribe and Share! 💌 Please Support Our Sponsors, ThinkSmart Whiteboard, Equilibria, and CavnessHR And don't forget to leave a review! ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

You've probably heard the expression, "It takes money to make money." But what happens if you're never given a fair shot at getting access to money? This is the dilemma of too many small businesses. They can't grow, let alone scale because traditional banks won't lend them the money required to invest in hiring more people, streamlining key processes, and upgrading equipment and technology. Flowcast is on a mission to change this narrative. * Flowcast is an ING Ventures-backed company offering Financial Technology (FinTech) platforms like Tillful to level the playing field for access to business credit. Their technology computes a business credit score based on the whole picture of a small business' financial activities and not just part of it. Just a little over a year old, thousands of new small business customers sign up every month for a free Tillful account. * As the Marketing Director at Flowcast, Amber Fehrenbacher knows a successful startup when she sees one. With a history of working with highly ambitious teams with multi-million and billion-dollar valuations, she has a unique perspective on what it takes to evolve from a startup to a scaleup. * In this episode, Amber explains why she describes Tillful as a "portal to business infrastructure." Specifically, she shares how the platform's technology works on the back-end as well as the on the front-end to create an easy, hassle-free customer experience. We also talk about the importance of adding your business' credit score to your list of metrics to monitor to ensure your business gets access to the funding it deserves. Discover how to get credit for all the hard work you've put into your business – literally and financially! * 🔗 Links to Resources Amber recommends: https://businessinfrastructure.tv/2021/11/14/175-amber-fehrenbacher-shares-how-to-increase-small-business-credit-scores-for-access-to-capital-with-tillful 🎧 Like What You Heard? Don't Keep it to Yourself. Subscribe and Share! 💌 Please Support Our Sponsors, ThinkSmart Whiteboard, Equilibria, and CavnessHR And don't forget to leave a review! ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Benjamin J. Shapiro produces and hosts not one, but two, top-charting podcasts – MarTech and Voices of Search. Considering his success, it's hard to believe that none of it may have happened were it not for the rejection he faced right after college as a door-to-door salesman. * That rejection, coupled with sales training, eventually led Ben to eBay. Working at the e-commerce giant gave him exposure to startup culture. Inspired, he found himself leaving there to start his own company. This is when he began learning about integrating technologies as a non-technical founder. * With his previous sales experience and his newfound interest in using technology in marketing, Ben later started a consulting firm. He started the MarTech (marketing technology) podcast as a way of meeting new potential clients. 1,000 episodes later, the podcast has taken on a life of its own! * In this episode, Ben details how he and his team landed on Monday.com as their platform of choice for automating and streamlining the operations of two daily podcasts. He also gives a candid account of the amount of time it took to set up their workflows on Monday.com. There's even a healthy debate about whether processes should be documented prior to selecting a digital technology. * Mondays don't have to be the most dreaded day of the week. Listen and be inspired to use Monday.com to give you and your team a level of workflow transparency to look forward to! * 🔗 Links to Resources Ben recommends: https://businessinfrastructure.tv/2021/11/07/174-benjamin-shapiro-reveals-how-monday-com-streamlines-the-operations-behind-martech-podcast 🎧 Like What You Heard? Don't Keep it to Yourself. Subscribe and Share! 💌 Please Support Our Sponsors, ThinkSmart Whiteboard, Equilibria, and CavnessHR And don't forget to leave a review! ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Stephanie Espy is one of the 19% of women (and 3% of women of color) who earn an engineering degree in America. Growing up in a family surrounded by scientists, engineers, and mathematicians, she considers herself "lucky" considering such grim stats. Lucky because she had a type of exposure growing up that many girls and young women don't. * After working as a chemical engineer and eventually pursuing an MBA, she decided to start a business, MathSP, a premier STEM-focused academic and test prep coaching company. STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. Through MathSP, Stephanie blends the skills she learned working in industry with her mission to reach the historically disadvantaged and underrepresented in the educational system. * Her outreach efforts became front and center stage with the premiere of her acclaimed book, STEM Gems. That book soon became a national movement and found Stephanie on stages, in classrooms, and facilitating events. * And then the pandemic happened. Just when it seemed the momentum she gained was in jeopardy, Stephanie and her team quickly sprang into action. They learned how to apply digital technologies like Zoom and Hopin to continue offering their various events and programs. * In this episode, Stephanie, an MIT, UC Berkeley, and Emory graduate, takes us on her career transition journey starting with her passion for figuring out how things work. She then details the process she developed for transforming her once in-person only events to the first virtual STEM Gems Summit. She also describes the team of people behind-the-scenes required to produce online events and how this business infrastructure led to the international expansion of the STEM Gems movement. * Listen and be inspired as you discover exactly how you can also expand your outreach through Zoom and Hopin. 🔗 Links to Resources Stephanie recommends: https://businessinfrastructure.tv/2021/10/31/173-how-stephanie-espy-scales-exposure-to-stem-careers-for-girls-via-online-events-on-zoom-and-hopin 🎧 Like What You Heard? Don't Keep it to Yourself. Subscribe and Share! 💌 Please Support Our Sponsors, ThinkSmart Whiteboard, Equilibria, and CavnessHR And don't forget to leave a review! ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Does hearing about robots or robotic technology trigger doomsday images of nonhuman entities taking over with unbridled power? That fear is often rooted in the unknown. And that's why technologists like Dean Hamilton are so important. As a Partner and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at Wilson & Perumal, he knows that education is necessary in squashing these kinds of fears. * In 30 years, Dean's experience runs the gamut of software engineer to Founder to advisory board member and now the C-suite. He has a firsthand account of the evolution of software technologies and says, "We live in a golden age of no-programming tech" - one of which is Robotic Process Automation (RPA). * In this episode, Dean explains what RPA is, how it falls along a spectrum of intelligent automation tools, and why it can be incredibly useful in streamlining repetitive back-office tasks. It's the boring humdrum of these repetitive tasks where our operations are most prone to errors. Errors that lead to lost profit, angry customers, and sullied reputations. * With this type of technology becoming more accessible, it can be a game-changer, but Dean warns of the magic bullet syndrome. He makes an argument for prioritizing processes before technology, building a center of excellence for automation in your company, and stripping operations of adverse complexity to maximize the benefits of tools like RPA. * Get in on this game-changing technology and gain efficiencies. It's not as scary or complicated as it may seem. * 🔗 Links to Resources Dean recommends: https://businessinfrastructure.tv/2021/10/24/172-dean-hamilton-describes-how-to-streamline-repetitive-tasks-with-robotic-process-automation-rpa 🎧 Like What You Heard? Don't Keep it to Yourself. Subscribe and Share! 💌 Please Support Our Sponsors, ThinkSmart Whiteboard, Equilibria, and CavnessHR And don't forget to leave a review! ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Obscurity will kill any business. No matter how great your products or services are, if enough people don't know about them and patronize your business, then it won't matter. The odds appear to be stacked against small businesses in increasing their visibility. How can they compete against their larger, more established competitors when they have limited budgets for advertising, branding, and publicity? * That's where Colt Briner comes in. As the Founder and virtual Chief Marketing Officer of Scrappy AF Solutions, he levels the playing field for small businesses through digital marketing strategies. Small businesses don't need to have budgets fit for Super Bowl ads to become formidable competitors. * Instead, Colt argues that through creativity, ingenuity, and some grit work, smaller companies can "put some stank on it" and leverage free and low-cost digital technologies to revolutionize their marketing processes. As a former professional magician, he quickly learned the formula for attracting customers – engagement, communication, and entertainment. * Now, he combines those skills with his experiences as a startup executive in growing a business to a $1 billion valuation. In this episode, Colt shares six digital marketing technologies that startups and emerging small businesses can leverage to build, manage, grow, and scale their exposure. He also shares additional tools to support your company's back-office operations in executing these strategies. * There's no need to go rogue in your marketing efforts. Go digital instead and discover how your company can concoct its own magical potion for transforming its marketing team, processes, and technologies from scrappy to smooth. * 🔗 Links to Resources Colt recommends: https://businessinfrastructure.tv/2021/10/17/171-colt-briner-shares-6-digital-marketing-technologies-that-make-small-businesses-more-competitive 🎧 Like What You Heard? Don't Keep it to Yourself. Subscribe and Share! 💌 Please Support Our Sponsors, ThinkSmart Whiteboard, Equilibria, and CavnessHR And don't forget to leave a review! ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

With a background in writing and product design, Tracy Hazzard has a history of being an early adopter of technology. She had the foresight to start her first podcast in 2015 as a means of testing the 3D printing market. And it's a good thing she did because the lessons she and her husband/business partner learned eventually led to their co-creation of Brandcasters, Inc. – the largest podcast post-production company in the world! * Podetize is their flagship product where Marketing-as-a-Service (MaaS) meets Software-as-a-Service. They currently have over 600 podcasts as clients and with so many moving parts, having a streamlined way to integrate their operational workflows with their accounting and CRM applications is paramount. That's where ClickUp comes in. * In this episode, Tracy explains how they use ClickUp, a cloud-based project management technology that has revolutionized the way they manage and track critical tasks allocated amongst a team of 90+ people spread across the globe. She also describes how they've assembled a dream team of in-house technologists to integrate ClickUp with other technologies for a truly all-in-one workplace solution. * Discover the processes and business infrastructure that supports Podetize and learn how you can retrofit ClickUp to automate your small business' back-office operations! * 🔗 Links to Resources Tracy recommends: https://businessinfrastructure.tv/2021/10/10/170-tracy-hazzard-explains-how-podetize-uses-clickup-to-scale-up-their-operations 🎧 Like What You Heard? Don't Keep it to Yourself. Subscribe and Share! 💌 Please Support Our Sponsors, ThinkSmart Whiteboard, Equilibria, and CavnessHR And don't forget to leave a review! ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

We're excited to bring you a new season of the Business Infrastructure podcast and it's going to be a game-changer! Kicking things off is Jay Jemal, a Sr. Technologist and the Founder of Blucidy - a revolutionary SaaS company that combines the power of Blockchain, Big Data, and Artificial Intelligence. * If those tech terms sound scary, then you're in luck because Jay breaks them down in a way that makes sense and is relevant to smaller businesses. Originally from Ethiopia, he's used to translating complex ideas, concepts, and language. * Over the past 20 years, he's accumulated an impressive set of technology accomplishments and credentials across various industries, starting with telecommunications. Now, his focus is primarily on federal healthcare. This led to the creation of Blucidy as a social innovation platform designed to foster organizational transparency and accountability for the benefit of humanity. * In this episode, Jay explains what blockchain technology is and debunks the myth that its only for large organizations. He also shares examples of how different industries can use it to collect, manage, and secure the data used to make critical operational and process improvement decisions. Discover how you can apply this game-changing technology to ensure a single source of truth when it comes to managing your company's data. * 🔗 Links to Resources Jay recommends: https://businessinfrastructure.tv/2021/10/03/169-jay-jemals-tips-for-improving-operations-with-blockchain-technology 🎧 Like What You Heard? Don't Keep it to Yourself. Subscribe and Share! 💌 Please Support Our Sponsors, ThinkSmart Whiteboard, Equilibria, and CavnessHR And don't forget to leave a review! ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Podcasting has been around longer than you might think. Although the pandemic caused a surge in both listenership and creators, there are some shows that have been around for a long time. Entrepreneurs on Fire (EOFire) is a nearly 10-year-old podcast with over 100M+ downloads and 3,240 episodes and counting! This is the final episode of Season 13 – Operational Excellence. It features a live recording at the 2021 Podcast Movement Conference with Kate Erickson, the person in charge of back-office operations at EOFire. Listen as Kate gives us the inside scoop on the workflows and operational excellence strategies that keeps EOFire's content fresh, their community amped, and their stellar team motivated. There's value for all entrepreneurs with this episode, even if you don't have a podcast. Discover automation tools that will simplify your workflows. Apply concepts Kate shares to build a profitable lead generation or sales funnel. And take advantage of the resources she recommends, including a free copy of EOFire's production workflow! 🔗 Links to Resources Kate recommends: https://businessinfrastructure.tv/2021/09/26/168-alicia-butler-pierre-and-kate-erickson-discuss-the-workflows-and-operational-excellence-strategies-behind-entrepreneurs-on-fire 🎧 Like What You Heard? Don't Keep it to Yourself. Subscribe and Share! 💌 Please Support Our Sponsors, HubSpot and ThinkSmart Whiteboard. And don't forget to leave a review! ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

As the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of PSS Gary Nickol aptly describes his role as, "…the glue between staff, customers, and the community." PSS is a visual aid and communication tools company for educators. Their growth was once stagnated by a top-down leadership model. That is until new owners came on board. Gary championed a bottom-up model, one that empowers employees to own their work and the results. This recommendation was rooted in his former experiences leading his own company as well as managing people and overseeing customer support at Best Buy. In this episode, Gary shares how, in just 16 months, PSS nearly doubled its employee size despite the pandemic. He also describes his guideposts for operational excellence and the role it plays in enabling them to keep up with fast growth without sacrificing quality. Discover how you can apply these concepts to grow and scale your business too! 🔗 Links to Resources Gary recommends: https://businessinfrastructure.tv/2021/09/18/167-how-an-operational-excellence-culture-catalyzes-scale-featuring-gary-nickol 🎧 Like What You Heard? Don't Keep it to Yourself. Subscribe and Share! 💌 Please Support Our Sponsors, HubSpot and ThinkSmart Whiteboard. And don't forget to leave a review! ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Sharon Idahosa is on a mission to reduce world hunger and ultimately make food scarcity a thing of the past. Following an internship in the oil and gas industry, she realized the source of her stress was rooted in ignoring her passion. So, she changed direction and pursued a degree in agriculture instead. Now, she's the founder and CEO of Lifex Agriculture Initiative, a fast-growing Nigerian startup. They leverage the power of new media to empower rural farmers with the education, communication, and transportation resources needed to increase food security. In this episode, Sharon shares what it's really like to start an agriculture business in Nigeria, the world's sixth most populated country. She also makes the case for establishing a foundation in operational excellence as she expands her team and their services. Discover Sharon's processes for navigating supply chain disruptions, changes in supply and demand, and encroaching food deserts. 🔗 Links to Resources Sharon recommends: https://businessinfrastructure.tv/2021/09/12/166-operational-excellence-and-the-business-of-agriculture-with-sharon-idahosa 🎧 Like What You Heard? Don't Keep it to Yourself. Subscribe and Share! 💌 Please Support Our Sponsors, HubSpot and ThinkSmart Whiteboard. And don't forget to leave a review! ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Trillion-dollar companies aren't built overnight. It takes a customer-centric model, a willingness to fail, and a relentless pursuit of innovation paired with operational excellence. No one knows this better than Tim Leslie. He's the corporate law attorney turned former 20-year Amazon executive that led the expansion of Prime Video into 200 countries. When Prime launched in 2005, it didn't make a profit for five or six years. Now, it's one of Amazon's three greatest inventions alongside AWS and Marketplace. In this episode (and his first-ever podcast interview), Tim shares the playbook he used to scale Prime Video. Specifically, he highlights the hiring strategy, turnkey processes, and other tools that made rapid expansion possible. He even addresses some of Amazon's controversies and fills us in on his latest passion – working with small organic suppliers. Discover the A to Z of how to take an idea for a new service or product from a seed to a juggernaut! 🔗 Links to Resources Tim recommends: https://businessinfrastructure.tv/2021/09/05/165-the-operational-excellence-strategy-for-expanding-amazon-prime-video-with-tim-leslie 🎧 Like What You Heard? Don't Keep it to Yourself. Subscribe and Share! 💌 Please Support Our Sponsors, HubSpot and ThinkSmart Whiteboard. And don't forget to leave a review! ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Lynda Martin grew up in a family of entrepreneurs, so it was only natural she'd become one herself. But when she started her first venture, her co-founders didn't think women belonged in leadership. So she left, started Goodwin Growth Works, and never looked back. Also armed with a strong background in staffing and H.R., she's on a mission to "…repair the world, one small business at a time." One way she does that is through the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS). In this episode, Lynda describes what EOS is and shares a case study of a company that applied it and grew sales by 32% each year for two years in a row. Discover the EOS formula for setting your vision and gaining traction towards effective leadership, sustainable growth, and operational excellence! 🔗 Links to Resources Lynda recommends: https://businessinfrastructure.tv/2021/08/29/164-what-is-eos-and-how-does-it-lead-to-operational-excellence-with-lynda-martin 🎧 Like What You Heard? Don't Keep it to Yourself. Subscribe and Share! 💌 Please Support Our Sponsors, HubSpot and ThinkSmart Whiteboard. And don't forget to leave a review! ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

In 2012, Hassan Dantata found himself alone in a hospital room. He'd just had a bone marrow transplant that required isolation for two months with a 50/50 chance of survival. With nothing but his "imagination and a dream" along with a burning desire for a smartphone, his resourcefulness led him to become an eBay vendor. Eventually, he graduated from being an e-commerce vendor to starting a full-service digital solutions agency for the optical industry, Raven & Macaw, Ltd. His youth advocacy work has earned him coverage in GQ and British Vogue magazines and the World Economic Forum. In this episode, Hassan describes how he came to carve a niche and the specific actions he's taking to build a SaaS company rooted in operational excellence. You'll also discover how he's navigating the challenges of recruiting top tech talent. If you're looking for inspiration to start or grow your business following a personal setback, then Hassan's story of resilience, tenacity, and consistency may be just what the doctor ordered! 🔗 Links to Resources Hassan recommends: https://businessinfrastructure.tv/2021/08/22/163-creating-an-operational-excellence-culture-in-a-tech-startup-with-hassan-dantata 🎧 Like What You Heard? Don't Keep it to Yourself. Subscribe and Share! 💌 Please Support Our Sponsors, HubSpot and ThinkSmart Whiteboard. And don't forget to leave a review! ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Lauren Hisey thought she wanted to be a lawyer until she took some law classes and realized she didn't have a passion for it. A chance encounter working at a call center while in college helped her discover that her true love was in operations. She went on to have a successful career working at AT&T and Nielsen, leading projects that saved both companies millions. Now, Lauren has her own consultancy where she applies her signature "calming influence" as well as Lean Six Sigma principles to help companies improve profitability and achieve sustainable growth. In this episode, Lauren shares a behind-the-scenes account of how she helped a company turn around a grim situation – handling unanticipated demand for their new product with limited, burnt-out staff, high customer support hold times, and rising costs. While doing so, she describes what a Gemba walk is and why uncovering root causes is essential to identifying and solving the right fast-growth challenges. 🔗 Links to Resources Lauren recommends: https://businessinfrastructure.tv/2021/08/15/162-uncovering-root-causes-of-chaotic-growth-on-the-path-to-operational-excellence-with-lauren-hisey 🎧 Like What You Heard? Don't Keep it to Yourself. Subscribe and Share! 💌 Please Support Our Sponsors, HubSpot and ThinkSmart Whiteboard. And don't forget to leave a review! ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Back in the early '70s, Dr. Frank Barsi escaped communist Hungary in the cover of night. He swam his way to Austria and eventually arrived in America with literally just the clothes on his back. Determined to start a new life, he quickly joined the U.S. Army. He would later go on to earn multiple engineering degrees. It was at his first job out of college that he was introduced to Six Sigma. At that time, the quality framework was well received in Asia, but not in America. In this episode, Dr. Barsi reflects on his 40-year career in the aerospace industry. It's a fascinating account of his journey in applying Six Sigma to improve a variety of production processes. That work spans developing flight controls for fighter jets and revolutionizing the casting industry. Not sure what Six Sigma is or how you can apply it to your small business? Get ready to take notes as Dr. Barsi explains the framework, its key principles, and how you can apply some of its tools to dramatically increase profitability. 🔗 Links to Resources Dr. Barsi recommends: https://businessinfrastructure.tv/2021/08/08/161-what-is-six-sigma-and-how-does-it-lead-to-operational-excellence-a-masterclass-with-dr-frank-barsi 🎧 Like What You Heard? Don't Keep it to Yourself. Subscribe and Share! 💌 Please Support Our Sponsors, HubSpot and ThinkSmart Whiteboard. And don't forget to leave a review! ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Let's be honest, talking about data (and business infrastructure) might not seem like the most exciting thing. Too often we associate these topics with machinery and not humans! That's why Michiko Wolcott says we need to "De-tech the tech." It's the foundation for her success as a strategic consultant. Michiko grew up in Japan. Although she was fluent in music and math, she knew little English when she and her family relocated to a small town in Alabama. She eventually learned the language, pursued advanced degrees in music and statistics, and discovered a new love - data. Now, she leverages data and analytics to achieve profitable breakthroughs for her clients. That's impressive considering 70% of data initiatives fail. You might be surprised to hear a high-tech expert advocate focusing on people first, then process, then technology. In this episode, Michiko shares how her refreshing approach enabled a company plagued with an overrun budget to complete 80% of its project goals in record time. Be inspired and ready to take action as you learn how to unlock the potential data and analytics can also have on your company's operations. 🔗 Links to Resources Michiko recommends: https://businessinfrastructure.tv/2021/08/01/160-leveraging-data-and-analytics-for-operational-excellence-with-michiko-wolcott 🎧 Like What You Heard? Don't Keep it to Yourself. Subscribe and Share! 💌 Please Support Our Sponsors, HubSpot and ThinkSmart Whiteboard. ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ And don't forget to leave a review!

When Dr. Jeffrey K. Liker began working at the University of Michigan, he was asked to be part of a research team to study American and Asian car manufacturers. One company stood out – Toyota. He then spent the next 20 years studying the Toyota Way – the management system responsible for them becoming the world's leading manufacturer. His first book, 𝘉𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘓𝘦𝘢𝘯, summarized his research and introduced the Lean framework for waste reduction, operational excellence, and continuous improvement. That was in 1997 and it sold 40k copies in the first six months. Fast forward 24 years and the second edition of his 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘛𝘰𝘺𝘰𝘵𝘢 𝘞𝘢𝘺 book sells over 1M copies in the first six months! This is less of an interview and more of a masterclass. Lessons include: 1) A summary of the 14 management principles of The Toyota Way, 2) Using perfection as a direction toward breakthrough results and not an end goal, and 3) What operational excellence means and looks like, and much more! Find out why Dr. Liker says operations leaders should prioritize the underlying philosophy and scientific thinking of Lean over which tools to use. Don't miss this opportunity to hear from the author of the definitive guide on Lean production! 🔗 Links to Resources Dr. Liker recommends: https://businessinfrastructure.tv/2021/07/25/159-the-toyota-way-for-achieving-operational-excellence-a-masterclass-with-jeffrey-liker-ph-d 🎧 Like What You Heard? Don't Keep it to Yourself. Subscribe and Share! 💌 Please Support Our Sponsors, HubSpot and ThinkSmart Whiteboard. ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ And don't forget to leave a review!

Carol Sanford has 40+ years of experience working with leaders of companies looking to grow and change the world for the better. As she puts it, "My essence is to disrupt certainty." But let's be clear, she's not a coach or a consultant. Instead, she's a resource focused on increasing people's capability for consciousness. Through this consciousness, leaders can grow better businesses. Her secret sauce is rooted in lessons from her Iroquois heritage and her experience working with high-profile executives at companies like Google and DuPont as well as entrepreneurs and experts. In this episode, Carol: 1) describes her regenerative thinking method for growing businesses, 2) defines the three types of excellence to strive for in operating a business, and 3) explains why businesses should focus on regeneration instead of transformation. Prepare to be wowed! 🔗 Links to Resources Carol recommends: https://businessinfrastructure.tv/2021/07/18/158-using-regenerative-thinking-to-achieve-operational-excellence-with-carol-sanford 🎧 Like What You Heard? Don't Keep it to Yourself. Subscribe and Share! 💌 Please Support Our Sponsors, HubSpot and ThinkSmart Whiteboard. ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ And don't forget to leave a review!

Supply chains represent the people, processes, and technology required to move goods and services from production to consumption. And yes, every organization has one. Airplanes, railcars, ships, trucks, pipelines, and broadband all represent the arteries through which our goods and services are transported. This is Tim Dooner's (aka "Dooner"), specialty. In fact, he's built FreightCasts, the world's largest logistics and supply chain podcast network. A pandemic, labor shortages, rising demand and prices, and crumbling or compromised means of transportation all threaten our ability to fulfill orders or service agreements. In this episode, Dooner explains the delicate interconnectivity of transportation infrastructure, the domino effect of supply chain disruptions, and tips for sustaining operations during those disruptions. 🔗 Links to Resources: https://businessinfrastructure.tv/2021/07/11/157-tim-dooner-explains-operational-excellence-in-transportation-and-supply-chains 🎧 Like What You Heard? Don't Keep it to Yourself. Subscribe and Share! 💌 Please Support Our Sponsors, HubSpot and ThinkSmart Whiteboard. ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ And don't forget to leave a review!

Emily Thompson epitomizes being boss. In fact, six years ago she co-founded a podcast by the same name, and it quickly became a formidable movement for creatives around the world. But her success didn't start there. It began with her love for geography. That love spawned a series of successful businesses with the latest being Almanac Supply Co. – a retail operation offering nature-inspired goods. This venture's success hinges on Emily's process advocacy. In an industry where profit margins are traditionally tight, having an even tighter order-to-delivery process is key to fulfilling demand and reaching economies of scale. In this episode, she describes a term she coined, "small batch retail," and the optimal combination of people, processes, and tools required to navigate supply chain constraints and achieve operational excellence in it. Discover why Emily says every leader needs a wolf pack and the importance of performing annual process audits. 🔗 Links to Resources: https://businessinfrastructure.tv/2021/07/04/156-how-emily-thompson-achieves-operational-excellence-in-small-batch-retail 🎧 Like What You Heard? Don't Keep it to Yourself. Subscribe and Share! 💌 Please Support Our Sponsors, HubSpot and ThinkSmart Whiteboard. ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ And don't forget to leave a review!

Hi, I'm Alicia and for many years, pricing was admittedly my Achilles heel in my business. With so many pricing models and strategies to choose from, I always found it easier to price products than services. Eventually, I began to seek counsel from pricing experts as well as a variety of renowned books backed by research. As I consumed this information and put it into practice, I noticed it did not yield the same favorable results as some of my colleagues. Not one to give up easily, I'd experiment with another model and strategy combination, but often to no avail. It wasn't until I started sharing my frustrations with others, that I began to accept an ugly, harsh reality. A reality missing from the experts and books in their discourse about the psychology of pricing services – racial and gender bias and discrimination. In this Season 12 finale, I share a personal experience of being forced into low-balling, underbidding, and undervaluing my services just to "keep the lights on." It's difficult to scale operations when you've been told you're excellent at what you do and the services you provide, yet cannot charge prices that reflect that value. I talk about the domino effect of consistently not being able to implement value-based pricing has on a company's inability to attract capital and invest in people and the latest technologies. I also share four recommendations that could lead to solutions. Thank you in advance for listening! Please connect with me on LinkedIn or Twitter if you've had similar experiences! 🔗 Link to sponsors and resources I recommend at: https://businessinfrastructure.tv/2021/06/27/155-diversity-digital-transformation-pricing-while-black-with-alicia-butler-pierre 🎧 Like What You Heard? 💌 Please Support Our Sponsors, Subscribe to the Show, and Leave a Review!

As a physician, scientist, MBA, and certified life coach, Dr. Soliman is a self-described lifelong learner. One important lesson he's learned is that, as leaders, we make many energy-depleting decisions throughout the day. This impacts our ability to operate at peak performance. In this episode, he teaches: 1) why we should focus on energy management instead of time management, 2) why we should beware of cognitive dissonance, and 3) how diversity, inclusion, and fast-paced technologies impact our mental health. Dr. Soliman also shares his 3-phase process for helping people navigate these changes to achieve the best outcome, which ultimately is a win for them, their companies, and their customers! Access links to our Sponsors and the full list of resources Dr. Soliman recommend at: https://businessinfrastructure.tv/2021/06/20/154-diversity-digital-transformation-navigating-changes-at-work-with-dr-soliman ***Like What You Heard? ***Please Support our Sponsors, Subscribe to the Show, and Leave a Review!

As an Executive VP at HubSpot, Alison Elworthy witnessed the company's diversity evolution up close. Now, she's advocating for diversity among departments that receive investment priority. In this episode, Alison explains what a Revenue Operations (RevOps) business unit is. She also reveals how HubSpot's new Operations Hub software can transform a small business's ability to connect and centralize workflows for cleaner data and a better customer experience. Resources at: https://businessinfrastructure.tv/

What do Katie Couric, Lenny Kravitz, and Marie Forleo all have in common? They've all been styled by Elsa Isaac. As a preeminent wardrobe fashion stylist, she draws from her Eritrean heritage to tailor looks that ditch conformity, celebrate the diversity of her clients' body shapes, and aligns with the images they want to project. In this episode, Elsa describes how she and her team completely digitized their back-office operations without compromising the high-end quality she's known for. Resources at: https://businessinfrastructure.tv/